MOUNT PEEL ROAD DISTRICT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1501, 4 May 1886, Page 3

MOUNT PEEL ROAD DISTRICT.

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. The annual meeting ot ratepayers in the Mount Peel Road District was held on Saturday at the Board’s office, Peel Forest. There were about thirteen persona present. The Hon. J. B. A. Acland occupied the chair. The minutes of last ratepayers’ meeting were read and confirmed. ' The Chairman read a statement shortly detailing the purpose for which the meeting was called, namely, the election of a new Board and to discuss various matters of interest to the ratepayers. The statement reviewed the work done by the Mount Peel Road Board since its formation in 1870 ; the umout of money it had received, the expenditure, the districts and roads on which it had been expended, the length of the roads, and th« present state of each. The question of a line of bridge* between Rainchff and Sherwood Downs would, the report stated, come before the new Board. Two questions of importance would also come before the meeting. The first was the proposition that the number of members should be increased from five to six, in order to test the feeling of the district a petition bad been drawn up and circulated for signatures.in accordance with the Road Boards Act, which also requires that in order to have any effect the petition shonld be signed by at least two-thirds of the ratepayers; the petition had not, however/ been signed by one half, and ,and therefore fell through. The second question was that some of the ratepayers thought the district could be better worked if it were divided into wards. The matter bad, however, been discussed at a former-general meeting, and the feeling generally expressed then was that the district vrorked very well as it is and that no substantial advantage would be gained thereby. The principal advantage the report pointed out, would be special and definite representation fer each portion of the district. There was also power given to the Board under Section 116, Boad Boards Act, to levy a special rate upon any ward for any special work to be dene in that particular portion of the district. But there was this great difference, that as the district stood now the. vote of at least two-thirds of the district or one-half of the rateable value of the district was necessary in order to levy a special rate, whereas if the district were divided into wards the Board could levy a special rate on a ward without their consent at all. The Chairman stated he could not sit down without, on behalf of the Board, tendering to Mr Robert Irvine, Clerk to the'Board, who had been granted a holiday and intends to visit England, a moat hearty vote of thanks for the manner.in which he had carried out his duties in connection with the Board, and bad endeavored on all occasions to farther its interests. Ue had been their right hand man, and no doubt during his absence would be much missed. The Board could only wish him and Mrs Irvine a prosperous aud happy voyage. The Chairman thought some opinion should be passed by the ratepayers on the matters mentioned in the report. As to. increasing the number ot members on the .Board, he pointed out that it was necessary that all Boards should consist •f not more than nine members and not lees than five, and as this was a large and scattered district he thought it would be as well to have another member, as each district would then be represented. Mr Wilson; for instance, knew better what was wanted in his district than those who ygtip Hying po thp spot, anl it would go ynjee thing for.jjhat district to haye a rgembor qf its own. With regard to paving the district divided into wards, it .Wpula. tie almost impossible to get the required number of signatures owing to jtbe. district being so scattered and the jStepsyers not appearing to be aoxjous to

alter the present satisfactory arrangements. The meeting expressed itself as satisfied with the present state ot the district. • Mr R. Mackay said he supposed he would be expected to speak about the line of bridges that had been mentioned in the report, as hejrepresented the district most interested. It might seem to those present theta great deal of money bad been spent over there, but it had been well spent. There was a large quantity of freehold land there, and if tire money spent was in proportian to the acreage, it was not so large as in some other districts. However, he did noh wish to say anything about that. But as to this line of bridges, all the people in that district saw the necessity of the work and wrre willing to rate themselves in order to get the work carried out with the assistance of some funds from the Bosird. Taking the acreage of land under cultivation at the present time in that district—about foity thousand acres—he thought they were entitled to this line of bridges. The people in the district were willing to pay a share of the cost. Mr R. Thew stated he had been over the district and visited the three places where the bridges were proposed to be placed and ho must say he considered them necessary, but at the same time he did not think the Mount Peel Road Board had any ssy in the matter whatever. H* thought it beloaged entirely to the Geraldine County Council. The Chairman stated that when the matter was before the Board they found upon looking into it that the bridges were distinctly a County matter, and they had now been referred to the Geraldine County Council. Mr S. Rao asked how many ratepayers would be benefited by those bridges. The Chairman said of course they would hare to look at the value as well as the number of ratepayers benefited. Mr Mackay gave the area undtr cultivation in the district to which lie had referred.

Mr Tripp mentioned several large blocks of land in the district which were under the plough. He said that several of the landowners went in extensively for sh' ep, and when these river* which it was proposed to bridge were up it was almost impossible to get stock or produce down. There was a rspid torrent near the Slierwood Downs, and even during the dry weather that had lately been experienced there had been a large body of of water running. He thought the construction of the bridges was no more than the people of the district had a right to expect. Mr Wilson said he would like to speak a few words about dividing the Mount Peel districts into wards. He had been acquainted with the working of the Board for a number of years, and he knew from experience that the money they spent had been well spent, but ie dividing the districts into wards the outlying districts would have an advantage, as they would then be represented, whereas now the Board was composed principally of members from the Mount Peel district. If (he districts were divided the people would have a better opportunity of getting that work done in their district which was necessary. As rates are now being levied the outside people would no doubt like to have a say in the expending of the money, and aa the Board was now constituted they could not have this. He did not wish to cast, any reflection on the present Board. So long as they worked amicably together he would rather be inclined to lot things be, but the.outlying districts were not being represented as they ought to be, while the Mount Peel district is over represented altogether. As regards the bridges, he thought they were a work of necessity, not only for the crossing of sheep but also to save life, as when people were away from home and it came on to rain suddenly, they often ran risks for the purpose of getting home, which would be obviated by the making of the bridges, and for the amount of money required he thought it would be very wise and very judicious to endeavor to get the work done.

The Chairman said he would just like to say it was perfectly true with regard to the Mount Peel District being over represented. It was a thing that always happeaed in large districts. Mr Mackay came from a considerable distance, and it required a great amount of self-denial for members to come such long distances to the Board meetings. Mr Tripp thought it would be a good thing if members occasionally paid a visit to the outlying districts and saw for themselves what was being done in the way of cultivation, and what were the wants of the various outlying portions of the district. Members would thus become acquainted with the whole district. Mr Thew thought the visits should bo made periodically, say about two or three times a year. There was often work cams before the Board that they could deal with better if all the members knew the districts.

Mr Salt said he hardly thought the surface work of the Mount Peel district received fair play. The district was so bad that there was very little other work besides what the Board provided. There was, however, plenty of work that required doing—enough could be found for the men in the district if it were done. A great many of the roads, for instance, were in a bad state, and if they were put in repairs, and the work distributed among the men in the district, it would be of great advantage to them. He pointed out that when a man was tied to a district be needed work in that district, and he believed that small jobs of the Board could be carried out cheaper by day labor than by contract. There had been stone-breaking done by the Board, but, as tenders had been called tor it, it was finished in a very short time by outsiders, and had been of no benefit to the unemployed in the district.

Mr Thew said ho believed the stonebreaking was supposed to have been for the benefit of the unemployed in the district, and not for outsiders. Ho thought if the Board had any work to do it should be let to persons residing, say, about three months in the district.

The Chairman thought Mr Thew’s idea was t very good one, if it could be carried out, Men living in the district should certainly the preference of any work the Iploayd might have to let. At the •amp time the Board rnu.-t not make work becaqse th>-y have a little money, otherwise the money would soon go. My D. Mackay thought the srqall jobs, a*y, of about three cr four pounds, should be done by day labor. Ho believed Hie VQTK could be none cheaper by day labor,

In hi* npi-don, it would be advisable duri 'Lj the winter months to do the small jobs in this manner, under the supervision of the Overseer. Mr Dennistoun said he always believed in letting these small jobs by contract. He believed it was the feeling of the ratepayers at a former meeting that the work should be let by contract. The Chairman . said it certainly did come from the ratepayers, A long discussion took place on the question of the advisability, or otherwise, of the Board getting the small jobs done by day labor, some of those present advocating that course and some being opposed to it. After Messrs Wilson, Salt, Dennistoun, Tripp, Thew, Pdhie, R. Mackay, D. Mackay, the Chairman and the Board’s Overseer had spoken on the subject., pro and con, the following resolution was put and carried—“ That it is the opinion of this meeting that small jobs, under about £4, should be done by day labor instead of by contract.” The following amendment was put and lost: “That it bo recommended to the Board that the main roads be let by contract for the purposes of repair, both on the Rv.incliff and Peel Forest roads.” Referring again to the leave of absence granted to Mr Irvine, the Chairman stated it was agaiu his pleasing duty to propose a special rote of thanks from the meeting to Mr Robert Irvine, without whom the Board would not have been able to give the satisfaction they had ; he was very glad that Mr Irvine should go Home and see his friends, and he hoped he would come out to .eve* Zealand again with renewed strength and new ideas with rngard to Road Board business. Mr Tripp, in seconding the vote of thanks, said that he thought if the Board had searched the whole of Mew Zealand through from Invercargill to Auckland they could not have found a more conscientious man, and one that tried to arrange matters more fairly between the ratepayers and the Board. More than thanks were due to Mr Irvine for the work he had done for the Board. He only hoped that Mr and Mrs Irvine would enjoy i heir trip to England, and that those present would soon see them out in this country again. The Chairman thought the meeting would be inclined to pass the vote of thanks, with three times three. The vote ha ving been carried, Mr Irvine thanked those present for the vole of thanks. He was very much pleased to find that he still retained the confidence o f the Board and the ratepayers. He was very much obliged to them for the many acts of kindness they had shown to him, and he was exceedingly obliged to the Board for having given him the holiday and thus allowing him the opportunity of visiting the Old Country. This being all the business, the meeting terminated wilh a vote of thanks to the Chair.

ELECTION OP NEW BOARD. As the only gentlemen nominated for the new Board were the members of the old one, viz., the Hon. J. B. A. Acland, and Messrs C. Q. Tripp, G. J. Dennistonn, B. Mackay, and R. Thew, they were declared duly elected.

MEETING' OF NEW BOARD. A mealing of the new Board was held immediately after the ratepayers’ meeting. The Hou. J. B. A. Acland was elecied Chairman. The total income of the Board for the past year, including a balance at 'he Bank of £10,160 11s 3d, was shown to be £11,329 17h lid, and the expenditure £2,093 10s 6d, leaving a credit balance of £9 236 7s sd.

Mr E. S. Tolton was appointed Overseer during the absence of Mr Irvine. Mr Tripp asked that a small cutting be made in order to improve the crossing at Andrews’ Creek. — The Overseer was authorised to get the work done. Mr Tripp also applied to have the crossing at Black Birch Creek improved. —The Overseer w«g directed to see what was necessary.

Mr Mackay brought up the question of the bridges that had been mentioned in the report. He stated that the people of the dbtrict were so impressed with the necessity of the work that they were willing to rate themselves at a trifle in the £ in order to get it carried out. Mr Tripp thought if the matter came before the Board through the Geraldine County Council the Board would take a favorable view of the matter.

It whs proposed by Mackay, seconded by Mr Tripp, and carried—“ That the Mount Peel Road Board is willing to pay one-third of the cost of erecting a bridge over the Opihl river at the head of the TotaraValley road, and one-half the coat of a stock bridge over the south branch of the Opuha river, on the Clayton road, provided the to’al cost to this Beard does not exceed £BOO” —It was also resolved that this resolution should be forwarded to the Geraldine County Council. This being all the business before the meeting the Board rose.